Saturday, October 23, 2010

Satinder Sartaj is today’s one of the most renowned punjabi sufi singer. His songs have an element of reality and a heavenly essence. Among all he has sung so far, this song is the closest to my heart.

meri heeriye faqeeriye ni sohniye,

teri kushboo nashili man mohniye...

[ Here sartaj refers his beloved as beautiful heer, he calls himself a 'fakeer', a poor wanderer who has escaped the possessions of mortal world and he calls her as his only possession in the whole world. Her fragrance is intoxicating to him. ]

ho yaad aave teri dekha jado chand main

tu hi dise jado akhaan kara band main

[Whenever I look at the moon I get surrounded by your memories. Whenever I close my eyes, I see you]

mainu lage radha tu te lal nand main

kash tanu v hovan eda pasand main -X2

[ I portray you and me as the eternal pair of Radha and Krishna (of hindu mythology), I wish you will feel the same way for me. ]

kato neend cho jagaya ne paroniye

teri kusboo nashili man mohniye..

[ paroniye means begani (stranger), these words convey that she has left him. Now that she is a stranger for him, he is asking her why has she awaken him up from his dreams (where they were both together and shared an eternal bond). Your fragrance is intoxicating to me. ]

meri heeriye faqeeriye ne sohniye...

teri kusboo nashili man mohniye...

dekh gal teri karde ne taare v

naale mare walan karde ishare v

[ Even the stars are talking about you, and while doing so they are pointing towards me ]

ehi yaar mere ehi ne sahare v

par change tere lagde ne laare v -X2

[ Now (when you are not here with me anymore) these stars are my only companions and support, but I still like your false promises (of being together forever) ]

sanu raahan ch na roll lare laouniye

teri kushboo nashili man mohniye...

[ Without you I am homeless, wandering here and there with nowhere to go. Your fragrance is intoxicating to me. ]

meri heeriye faqeeriye ne sohniye...

teri kusboo nashili man mohniye...

keha payia ye pyar wala jaal ni

jithe javaan teri yaad jandi naal ni

[ I am trapped in this mesh of love, where ever I go your memories are always with me ]

eh tan rog main avalla leya paal ni

sham pende hi dinda e dive baal ni

[ It is a strange disease that I have been nurturing, as soon as light of your memories fades away my heart glows another lamp in your name ]

[ I am asking the birds to say something, to reveal to me the secret of whereabouts of my heer ]

tusi jao sachi jao ohnu tolo ni

ja ke phullan wala jungle farolo ni -X2

[ Please go, for once just go and search for her. Look for her in the forest of flowers. The term forest of flowers is quiet impressing. The forest is full of sweet fragrances and this is why he thinks that it is the perfect place for her to hide as no one will be able to distinguish her fragrance from rest of flowers. ]

oh gulab diyan pattiyan ch honi e..

teri kushboo nashili man mohniye..

[ She would be hiding under the petals of rose. Your fragrance is intoxicating to me.

Another great line! He thinks may be the fragrance of rose is due to his heer hiding inside its petals. ]

meri heeriye faqeeriye ne sohniye...

teri kushboo nashili manmohniye...

pehlan polle jehae chain tu chura liya

fer neend nu khwaban de naame la liya

[ Quietly you left my heart restless, and then it was all you in my dreams ]

sada duniya to sath v chhuda liya

fer jhaka jeha de ke muh ghuma liya -X2

[ When I got deeply involved in you it left me detached from the whole world, you inspired me to express my love but then you turned away ]

kiven pune jazbaat sade poniye..

kida pune jazbaat ne tu poniye..

teri kushboo nashili man mohniye..

[ How did you change your emotions about me, what made your heart change so abruptly. Your fragrance is intoxicating to me. ]

Sartaj in the whole song refers himself to be ‘fakeer’ as he has nothing with him except for the memories of his beloved. Now that she is gone, he recalls the sweet fragrance of her that has taken over his heart. Which is given in the phrase “Teri khushbu nashili man mohniye”. It’s when she is gone he is drunk by the effect of her fragrance. Her fragrance is the only memory that he holds with himself, which keeps reminding him of his beloved.

My personal favourites are the parts where he talks to Birds about his heer, and another when he urges her not to listen to his worthless songs and accept his love and assures her that God will support their love.